Kenny Moore II has requested and been granted permission to pursue a trade. The appeal of this trade is this trade is obvious for the New Orleans Saints. The biggest attraction to Moore is he's a proven NFL commodity who can step right into the role vacated by Alontae Taylor. That's exactly what the Saints need for next season, but they should pump the brakes on pursuing Moore.
LouisianaSports.Net's Ross Jackson broke down the similarities in Taylor and Moore's usage. There was a big difference in snap counts, but from a percentage standpoint, they were used very similarly. Moore was just more involved in the pass rush.
A massive difference between Moore and Taylor is the contract. With just one year left on his deal, it's safe to assume Moore wants a new contract once he gets out of Indianapolis. It wouldn't be surprising if it's the motivation for the trade request. Taylor received $20 million from the Titans. Even as the highest paid slot corner Moore wouldn't sniff that figure. Trading for and extending Moore would be a good gauge for what the Saints were willing to pay Taylor.
Saints shouldn't trade for Kenny Moore until draft day at best
Moore is open to search for a trade partner. If the Saints find themselves interested, they should wait to see how the beginning of the draft plays out. If they are in position to land Caleb Downs or Keionte Scott, the Saints should pick one of those players.
The two clear advantages to choosing players in the draft. They're cheaper and younger. Moore is currently set to make $10 million and would make more than that with an extension. Even if there's no extension reached immediately, the $10 million is nearly double the $5.6 million the Saints will have to pay the eighth overall pick.
On top of that, Moore will be 31 when the season starts. This is just naturally not a long term investment. This would likely be a 3-4 year investment at max due to age. Two to three years feels more likely, though. A rookie gives you at least 4 years on a rookie contract and the possibility of a second contract.
Moore has experience on his side, but there's more long term value in the youth. Downs and Scott feel like prime prospects for Brandon Staley's defense.
If the draft rolls around and the Saints miss on both of those prospects, they can consider trading for Moore. At that point, there's less sure things on the board, so trading for the proven commodity makes more sense. This is a trade they should hold off on until they see how the draft plays out. Then, they can think about it.